Gooey ear

[Prufrock]

Poor ds has had a cold for ages (I'm bulk buying medised). It got beter for a while, but came back with a vengeance on Saturday - runny nose, gunky, swollen eyes, unable to breathe properly. It seemed to be better today, but I have just had to clear a huge glob of snot from his left ear. He's always had quite dirty, waxy ears (which I've just cleaned with a sponge in the bath), but this was real, gooey, green, stringy snot. He doesn't seem to be bothered, but should I take him to the docs anyway in case he gets a horrid ear infection? I'm fairly anti antibiotics btw.

Runny stuff from an ear can mean a burst ear drum. Which isn't as bad as it sounds - normally they're cranky up to their ear bursting, and then pretty cheerful. But they do need antibiotics after that, I think. They might be avoidable, though.

I would get a doc to look in his ear, at any rate. They need to check afterwards that the eardrum has healed properly.

prufrock, they probably won't give you ab's anyway, as 18/20 ear infections clear up anyway, on their own. they'd only be given if there was a lot of pain and a temperature. dd2 had a burst eardrdum recently and i only noticed when i saw the blood on the sheet, and on her face in the morning, i'd gone into her in the night but thought she was being a bit of a missy moo, wanting milk from mummy all night (i've had a burst eardrum too, and it was one of the most painful things ever)

(sorry had totally missed the significance of the goo - do get it looked at, dd2 had some as well as the blood )

hi prufrock, my dd's ear also suddenly became snotty yesterday (she's got a very heavy cold). I took her to the GP who mentioned that normally he doesn't prescibe antibiotics at this point as it means that the worst is over and the middle ear can start to heal. He gave dd some anyway as she has other health issues.
Apparently the ear drum heals within a couple of weeks and the gunk should stop after a few days.

How soon can you take DD swimming again after an ear infection?

Think once you have had course of ab's, unless it perforated when you should probably wait for it to heal up.

some reasons for/against ab's

thanks Lizs. Will probably make an appointment at docs in two weeks just to check everything has healed.

thank you so much for that weblink Bundle - I did not realise that the tubes becoming blocked caused middle ear infections nor that antibiotics are contraversial for treatment!

Well after reading your advice (and panicking for a millisecond) I called the doctor, who squeezed me in this evening. Ds does have a burst ear drum. The doc did recommend antibiotics, even when I said I didn't really want them - he said he wouldn't give them for just an infection but that they are necessary when ear drum is burst. Is that true bundle or does your link above apply to burst ear drums as well? (Doc was v. nice and complimented me on clearing up his eye infection with nothing more than breastmilk - hmm, wonder if it would work on his ear?)

And the appointment was followed by my stupid cow moment.
I rushed to chemist to pick up antibiotics, and as they handed me the yellow bottle of amoxcyllin suddenly remembered that ds is allergic to peniccillin. So back to docs, just caught him, got a bit irate that it wasn't on their records as I'd definately put it on the registration form. He agreed that was v. bad and would check their processes, and asked how we knew and when he'd reacted. "Oh he had a really bad chest infection just after his birthday and the amoxcyllin brought him out in a terrible rash" I said - "1st birthday" said the doc - "but he's only 9 months".

DD is allergic to peniccilin. Doh

Hi Prufrock - have also had a burst eardrum (and can second bundle's comments about the pain levels- seriously on a par with childbirth). I did get ab's but when saw another dr to get 2nd opinion about whether I could fly or not, was told, would prob have cleared up without the abs anyway. So, teh clear answer is, who knows?

not sure prufrock re: abs once it's burst. the pain certainly subsides and you feel a bit giddy until the hole heals up.

lol re: the allergy

I'll carry on giving them then. THe doc didn't seem teh type to prescribe needlessly, and he did say that stopping infection is more important once the barrier to the outside has been breached as it were. He does seem lots better all together today